I am thrilled to share that my original creation, the Court Card Battle game "Reversal of Guilt", was selected as a finalist in the "Kami-Evo Lab" (Expert Category) of NHK’s Kami-Gei Souzou-shu Evolution (God-Game Creators Evolution). With the exhibition and final tournament in Tokyo now concluded, I’d like to reflect on the journey and the "behind-the-scenes" story of its creation.

The Spark: From Parenting Struggles to Board Game "Rabbit Hole"

The journey began with a personal challenge as a father of two. I often struggled to stay engaged in repetitive play with my children, sometimes finding myself distracted by my smartphone.

To change this, I looked toward board games. One stormy day, I picked up a copy of Catan. We played it for hours, completely lost in the experience. Even though we later realized we’d misinterpreted some rules, the excitement was undeniable. I realized that a truly great game allows adults and children to connect as equals. Soon, our home was filled with titles like Splendor and Barenpark, and I was officially hooked.

From Legal Professional to Game Creator

After two years of hosting game nights, the desire to create my own game began to simmer. However, as a lawyer, my professional life is usually about maintaining the status quo or restoring "minus" situations to "zero"—not necessarily creating from scratch (0 to 1).

Then, I discovered NHK’s "Kami-Evo Lab," a category specifically designed for experts to blend their professional knowledge with gaming. Feeling it was destiny, I applied. My initial concept—refined through brainstorming sessions with ChatGPT—passed the first screening. Interestingly, it was the only analog board game among a sea of digital entries.

Overcoming the "Creative Wall"

The production was a steep learning curve. I found inspiration in the book The Total Thought of a Game Designer by Issei Yonemitsu (creator of Puyo Puyo and The Expression Game). His philosophy—that great ideas are born from persistence and nurturing countless small thoughts—gave me the confidence to keep going.

I refined the mechanics with the help of the owner of the board game cafe "Desert*Spoon" and conducted playtests with members of the "Blooming Camp" community, as well as students from Kwansei Gakuin University and Kobe Kaisei Girls' High School. In just 25 days, over 30 people helped me test and polish the game.

Reaching the Finals: The Core Concept

While I didn't take home the grand prize at the February 11th finals, the experience was invaluable. To enhance the "experience value," I developed 20 specific prosecution scenarios and a tutorial system. The goal was to let players truly feel the weight of a lawyer’s closing argument: "The defendant is innocent."

"Reversal of Guilt" translates the high-stakes reality of criminal trials into an engaging entertainment experience. While it has educational potential, I believe that "games must be fun first." I designed this for everyone—not just legal experts—to taste the thrill of the defense.

　Expanding the Reach: From Career Education to Global Ambitions

The Court Card Battle game "Reversal of Guilt" has already been showcased at various events. It has even been used in career experience programs for children, allowing them to step into the shoes of a lawyer and experience the profession firsthand.

Currently, I am actively working toward the commercial publication of the Japanese version as a physical card game.

Looking ahead, I am also exploring the possibility of an international release. While the specific laws regarding crimes would need to be researched and adapted for each country, the core framework—analyzing a story, evaluating evidence, and arguing for innocence—is a universal experience that I believe players worldwide will enjoy.

We are looking for international partners! If you are interested in bringing this game to your country or collaborating on a localized version, please feel free to contact me. Let’s bring the thrill of the defense to the global stage.

For international publishing or partnership inquiries, please contact me here.